Twin-lens reflex camera



Aug. 15 1950 K. RATH 2,518,718

TWIN-LENS REFLEX CAMERA Filed OCL. 13, 1948 IN V EN TOR.

Patented Aug. 15, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TWIN-LENS REFLEX QCAMER Karl Rath, New York, N. Y. Application October 13, 1948, Serial No. 54,250

(01; `sis- 441) 3 Claims.

u The" present invention relates to photographic cameras, more particularly to an' improved twinle'ns' reflex camera of the type comprising a iinder lens synchronized with the picture-taking lens and a ground glass focusing screen showing a fullsize and right-side-u'p picture.

rIrwin-lens reiiex cameras using roll 'lm as negativf'ev material have become very popular in the past cfor'y various reasons due mainly to the full size of the viewing image upon the ground glass screen, enabling iboth easy sharp focusing and composition or judgment of the pictorial 'effect of the picture shown upon the screen. Moreover, the viewing image, on account of using separate nder and picture-taking lenses, is clearly visible at maximum brightness up to and duringv the exposure of the lm, whereby to greatly facilitate the focusing and composition of a scene or subject.

On the other hand, a disadvantage of known types of reflex cameras is due to their relative great bulk and box-like shape with the resultant inconvenience in carrying the camera, especially during extended trips or excursions. Attempts to design a collapsible twin-lens reflex camera on the basis of known camera constructions, have so far failed due to the mechanical complexity and diiilculties in providing two collapsible camera chambers together with a reflecting mirror and focusing hood in accordance with the'standard design of cameras of this type.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved collapsible twin-lens reflex camera which substantially overcomes the above-:mentioned diiculties; which while relatively simple and compact in design, is easy to operate from its collapsed into its picture-taking position and vice versa; and 'which provides a focusing image of improved brightness and less subject to interference by surrounding light or reflections, compared `with known types of reiiex cameras in the art.

The above and further objectsV and novel aspects of the'inventi'on will become more apparent "from the following detailed description taken in reference to the accompanying drawing formiii-g part of this speciiication and wherein:

Figure 1 shows, in diagrammatic form, a side view of va twin-lens reiiex camera in the operative or extended position and constructed in ac- 'i corda'nce withV the principles of the invention;

Figure 2 shows "a camera according to Figure 1 in the collapsedor non-operative position; and lFigure 3` illustrates a modication of Figure 1.

Like reference numerals identify like parts in the different View of the drawing.

Referring to Figure l, the numeral Ill represents a relatively nat camera body or casing having securedtoits front in relatively slidable veng'ageirient therewith a panel or casing I I maintained in exact parallelism with the bodylll by'ineans-4 of guides indicated at I2, in a manner well" understood and' shown for instance in greater detail Ain my ycl3-pending application Serial N0. 29313 filed May 26, 1948, entitled Camera With Photoelectric Exposure Control'.

xtensibly' and collapsibly attached to 'the panel I`Il isfa furtherV front or lens panel I4 car'ying a finder' lens I'I and a picture-taking lens If, th'e'latter" being positioned above the former. Panel I-4` is connected with the panel or casing Il through a pair of light-tight collapsible bellows- I5 and I 6, one for each of the lenses'- Il and' f8, andr a suitable linkage arrangement for maintaining the panel' I4 in parallelism with'the panel II and in t'urn with the body I'U, said linkage arrangementY taking', in the example shown, the formI of a lazy tongs mechanism. The latter comprises apair'of links 2Q and 2! pivotedto- 'geth'er 'at 22,'one pair of links being arrangedon ith'erside of the panels II andV I4. The end'23 of thelinkvr 20 ofe'ach' pair is connected to a pivot 24 within" the panel I I', while the oppositeend of this linkrv is' provided' with a pivot 25 arranged' to slide*within` a guideV slot 2S for-med in the side of thepanel I4.l Similarly, the end 21 oflink 2l is connectedl by a x'ed pivot 28 to the panel Il, while" the opposite end of this link is provided with a pivot or pin 3D' arranged to slide Within a guide slot`3l formed in the side of the panel II. The lens-panel I`4 can' thus move into and outfof the' panel I1 and in turn of the body IO with its central plane'being maintained in exact parallelism with said-body' and' in turn with the focal any other'known typeof parallel guide arrangenerit" o1? mechanism connecting the slidableY casing I'I the leri's panel I4 or body I0 maybe employed for the purpose'of the4 invention.

Both`f lenses I'l andA I8 mounted upon the panel the' camerabody I'0' is a further extensible panel 4I' connected to said cover through a further co1- lapsible bellows 42 and linkage arrangement in the vforinof aflazytongs'mechanism shown in thee'xample-illustrated. The latter comprises a'pair' of linksl43vv and' M'pivoted together at 45, one pair of linli'sbeing provided onf each side of the cover v'lllllaidlpanel 4I The end 46' of the link 43'isconnecte'd'toapiv'ot 41 within the cover 40, While tlie voppositeend of this link isprovided with ay ,pivot 48 arranged to slide along a guide slot 50- Iformed .in the side of the panel 4I.

in the side of the panel 4I. Similarly, the end I of link 54 is connected by a fixed pivot 52 to the panel 4! I, while the opposite end of this link is provided with a pivot or pin 53 arranged to slide along a guide slot 54 formed within the side of the cover 45. The panel 4I can thus move to.- wards and away from the body IIJ with its plane being maintained in parallelism with said bodl7 and the focal plane in the camera, in a manner substantially similar to the operation of the lens panel I4. l

Contrary to the bellows I4 and I5 for the lenses I1 and I8 which serve to provide a pair of dark chambers for the ground glass 35 and film 35, respectively, the rear panel 4I and single bellows 4,2 covering the entire back of the camera body has its top removed to serve as a viewing and focusing hood for the ground glass 35 by the further provision of a reflecting mirror 55 having its lower edge pivoted to the coverMl at 5B and having its opposite edge provided with a pivot 5l' arranged to move along a further guide slot vformed with- In this manner, the ymirror 55 may be swung outwardly about its pivot 56 to form a 45 angle with the ground glass screen 35 as shown in Figure l and may be collapsed together with the bellows ft2 and the lazy tongs mechanism in non-use position of the focusing hood, as shown in Figure 2.

In use, with both the lens panel Ill and focusinghood panel 4I extended in the manner shown .inFigure l of the drawing, a full size and rightside-up picture produced bythe nder lens I'I upon the ground glass screen 35 will appearin yfthe focusing hood. A magnifier 5U pivoted to the upper edge of the panel 4I may be provided for critical sharp focusing, as is customary with reflex cameras. The synchronized focusing of both lenses may be effected in any known manner such as by moving in and out the focusing panel II by the aid of a focusing knob 6I mounted upon the side of the camera and operating a rack or -equivalent mechanism associated with the panel I'I, in the manner'shown in greater detail in' the 'above-mentioned co-pending application.

Alternatively` the lens panel I4 may be directly connected to the camera body I I through the bellows I5 and I5 and lazy tongs mechanism in the manner shown in Figure 3. In this case, the synchronized focusing of the lenses I1 and I8 may be effected by means of a pair of focusing gears l|52 and 63 operating the focusing adjustments and being connected through an intermediate gear 64, or by any other known focusing gear arrange-f ment known and used in the operation of twinlens cameras.

The picture-taking lens I8 is provided with a suitable shutter such as a between-the-lens shut- 'ter as indicated at 55, while the film winding Vmechanism may be'of any known construction, these and other details having been omitted for the sake of simplicity of the drawing and disclosure and as being unnecessary for the understanding of the invention. 'Ihe backor coverlil shown to be pivoted at 5B is provided for loading and unloading the camera, in a manner well understood According to a modification, the cover 40 may be omitted and the focusing hood comt'prising bellows 42, panel 4I and the lazy tongs mechanism directly secured to the backA of the l camera body I. In this case suitable means may be provided for loading and unloading the lm from the side of the camera, as will be readily understood.

There is thus provided by the invention a co1-v lapsible twin-lens reflex camera which, while small and compact in the collapsed position, may be simply and instantly extended into the operative or picture-taking position, substantially without sacrifice of any of the known advantages of the standard type of twin-lens camera. Among the further advantages of the invention over known types of twin-lens reflex cameras is to be mentioned the fact that the reflecting mirror 55 is arranged outside the optical path of the finder lens I1. This results in a substantial simplification of the design and adjustment and insures synchronized focusing adjustment under all circumstances. Furthermore, the arrangement of the iinder lens I1 below the picture-taking lens I8, results in an increased depth of the focusing hood which in turn produces a brighter viewing image unhampered by interfering surrounding lights or reflections, a drawback generally experienced with known types of reflex cameras of standard design.

While there has been shown and described a desirable embodiment of the invention, it is understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration and that various changes in shape,

proportion and arrangement of parts as well as the substitution of equivalent elements for those herein shown and described may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The specication and drawing are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In combination with a twin-lens camera of the type having a casing, a panel carrying matched finder and picture taking lenses, collapsible bellows and parallel guide means connecting said panel to the front of said casing and a ground glass and picture frame vmounted in the common focal plane of said lenses; a re,- ilex finder comprising a further panel and'collapsible bellows and parallel guide means connecting said further panel to the back of said casing, a mirror having one edge pivoted to said casing adiacent to the side of said screen remote from said picture frame, and means for slidably supporting the opposite edge of said mirror by said panel, said mirror assuming a 45 angle with said screen in the extended position and folding against said screen in the collapsed positionof said further panel, said further. bellows having an opening opposite to said mirror to reveal the image upon said screen reflected by said mirror in the extended position thereof.

2. In combination with a twin-lens camera of the type having a casing, a panel lcarrying matched nder and picture taking lenses, collapsible bellows and parallel guide means connecting said panel to the front of said casing, a ground glass and picture frame mounted in the common focal plane of said lenses and a hinged back plate for said casing; a reflex nnder comprising a further panel and'further collapsible bellows and parallel guide means connecting said further panel to said back plate, a mirror having one edge pivoted to said back plate adjacent to the side of said screen remote from said picture frame, and means for slidably supporting the opposite edge of said mirror by saidpanel, said mirror assuming a y 45 angle relative to -said screen in the extended position of said further panel and folding against said screen in the collapsed position of said further panel, said further bellows having an opening opposite to said mirror to reveal the image upon said screen reected by said mirror in the extended position of said further panel.

3. In combination with a twin-lens camera of the type having a casing, a panel carrying matched nder and picture taking lenses, collapsible bellows and parallel guide means connecting said panel to the front of said casing and a ground glass and picture frame mounted in the common focal plane of said lenses; a reflex nder comprising a further panel and further collapsible bellows and parallel guide means connecting said further panel to the back of said casing, said further bellows extending over substantially the entire back of said casing, a mirror having one edge pivoted to said casing adjacent to the side of said screen remote from said picture frame, and guide means for slidably supporting the opposite edge of said mirror by said further panel, said mirror assuming a 45 angle with said screen in the fully extended position of said further panel and folding against said screen in the collapsed position of said further panel, said further bellows having an opening opposite to said mirror to reveal the image upon said screen reflected by said mirror in the extended position of said further panel.

KARL RATH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 442,616 Ellison Dec. 16, 1890 622,574 Wallace Apr. 4, 1899 781,061 Hartmann Jan. 31, 1905 834,089 Wallace Oct. 23, 1906 1,121,178 Freud Dec. 15, 1914 1,528,464 Beidler et al Mar. 3, 1925 1,833,668 Beidler et al. Nov. 24, 1931 2,173,553 Graf Sept. 19, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 40 Great Britain 1912 384,629 Great Britain Dec. 8, 1932 596,224 Germany Apr. 28, 1934 669,438 Germany Dec. 27, 1938 

